In The Life of Zutara
by theblindbandit1
Summary: A series of three Zutarian stories. Starting with a change in both of their lives, the beginning of a new life and a tragic ending. Rating for third chapter.
1. Change

Zuko had invited Katara to the palace for dinner and tea afterwards, and he hoped tonight would be the right night. He hand his hand deep in his pocket cletching a necklace that he had carved for her after asking Sokka how he should propose. It was kind of lame to ask Sokka, seeing as it took almost the whole day to get him to stop laughing about it, but he didn't know the water tribe customs and didn't want to ask Katara. Anyways, Katara and him had been dating for a few months now, and now, the day of the winter solstace, he felt was the perfect time.

Katara arrived around the late afternoon and Zuko came out himself to greet her, and she flung her arms around him kissing his cheek. He simply smiled and hugged her back before turning to lead her inside.

Tonight was going to be different all right, Zuko had prepared a nice candlelit dinner like he always did, but instead of eating in the confined royal dining room, he had made a nice spot under the tree in the courtyard where he and his mother had once sat feeding turtle-ducks.

He lead Katara out from behind with his hands lightly covering her deep blue eyes. He smiled as she chuckled and asked her question. "Zuko where are we going?" She asked playfully. "You will see." He said calmly and removed one of his hands from her eyes and whispered in her ear. "Keep your eyes closed" He said before kissing her ear and removed his other hand from her eyes.

Pulling the necklace from his pocket he went infront of her and knelt down holding the necklace out for her. "Katara... will you marry me?" He asked, nerviously awaiting the answer. As soon as the question had left his mouth her eyes flew open and saw him kneeling there holding the necklace. She didn't answer as first but threw herself at him. "Yes... Yes. Zuko."

After dinner they sat there near the pond looking into the sky, admiring the now bright glowing stars. Katara looked at him then leaned over against him and closed her eyes. "You've finnally shed your mask." And hearing this he looked at her confused. "What?" He asked quietly, trying to sound more curious then mad. She looked at him. "The mask that I saw in you since the day we first saw each other in the south pole." She placed her hand lightly on the side of his face. "I can finally see the boy behind those eyes. The boy you were born to be." She smiled and kissed him. He had become the perfect man, he had changed.


	2. Family

Zuko's POV:

Today was finally the day. I had hoped that my son would be born near the summer soltace like I had been, it proved to bring more power to firebending. Katara had gone into labor early this morning but had requested that I stay outside the palace infirmary, only letting nurses and doctors in. I could hear her yelling, and hoped that everything was going okay. This would be our first kid, it was only two years after the war had ended anyways.

Somewhere around late evening I was able to hear a small sound of a baby crying and smiled. As a nurse brought me into the room Katara was resting in, he saw her holding a small child and went over to her with tears of joy filling his eyes. The baby had some hair, the same hair as his and as he looked closer, it had the same color of eyes as Katara.

"Say hello to your daughter Zuko." Katara said.

I stepped back almost instantly hearing the word _'Daughter'_. She said it was going to be a boy.

"My... My daughter? But you said...?" I said hesitantly not believing this.

Katara shook her head. "I was wrong Zuko. It's a girl... I named her after your mother. This is Ursa."

I could not believe it...


	3. Pain

**Author's Note: This story takes place 15 years after the war ended. Starts out in the Fire Nation Palace. Katara and Zuko are married and have three kids, names for comprehension are: Ursa, Azii and Izzain.**

Zuko was quite surprised to see that when he woke up to not find Katara beside him. But looking out the window he realized that she would probably be seeing their children off to school now. He got up and got dressed and walked around the palace, not seeing her. Then, a sevant came up holding a letter out for him as he kneeled down in respect. Zuko took the letter from him and immediantly opened it seeing that it was tied shut with a necklace, Katara's necklace he had made for her. Almost tearing the paper he read through it and realized that... somehow, the handwriting seemed familiar, but yet it was not the smooth style that Katara, or any of his children used.

The letter read.  
_Zuko,  
I have a little gift for you here at the cresent isle that you may want returned. Come here ready for an Agni Ki and you may earn them back. _

Then seeing the name at the bottem he realized why the handwriting was familiar and he said the name to himself. _"Azula"_. Quickly he went and interragated the guards that were near the front doors and asked if either had seen his children or Katara that morning but to his fear they said that neither had been seen, thought to be sleeping in. That's when Zuko gave the order for an airship to be made ready for a trip to the cresent isle.

_

Once he arrived at the isle, he quickly headed down the airships main ramp and looked around. He didn't see anyone. He ran quickly up the side of the mountain to where the fire sages temple had once been before Avatar Roku had destroyed it. That's where he saw it. A burnt pile of bodies that were still burning, and sitting on top of pikes in front were the heads of Ursa, Azii, and Izzain. Eyes closed, but he could see the looks of horror still on their faces. He fell to his knees putting his face in his hands crying. His children, murdered brutally for no reason.

He quickly turned hearing Azula's cackling and saw through the tears her standing there holding Katara, who was wearing what was left of her night clothes, and shaking. She was covered in terrable burns and as he looked closer, he saw that her eyes had been gauged out of their sockets. His whole body was shaking and burning in rage and he heard what Azula said, still laughing the words, "This is your price. Hand over the crown, or she dies like your children." and he watched as Azula pulled out a knife. He didn't know what to do, he looked at Katara, desperately trying to think of a way to save her besides the trade.

But in his moment of hesitation Azula had taken it as a no and Zuko's eyes closed as he heard a thud of Katara's head hitting the ground. His emotions bursting he ran at Azula, wanting to hurt her in any way and was forgetting his bending. The next thing he knew the knife was through his side and he was on the ground, Katara's head next to him. He glared up at Azula as she knelt down and cut the bunch of hair held up by the firelord headress off before pulling the knife from his side. He yelled out in pain as she sliced across the tendons that ran behind his ankles and looked at her. "W-Why...? Why all of us?"

She laughed and started to head off before stopping looking back at him. "One death doesn't hurt if there is something worth fighting for. You have nothing to fight for now Zuzu..." She said. And left.


End file.
